Russell Brand on Revolution

[Batboy]

Well you're not observing very well are you?

I think you will find I am right...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9373000/9373158.stm

Also musicians are not just about rock and roll bands or young kids on council estates sampling in their bedrooms those that work in the music industry include opera, classical jazz, stage work and career musicians who have normally worked hard studying and having piano lessons etc. music as a career is largely a middle class aspiration.

if they are from working class backgrounds and are very successful they are not giving much of their ludicrous wealth away. They are not much different to Essex barrow boy city dealers done good who have made good earning millions. And that is the crux, Brand and others can bleat all they like about the inequalities out there, but they would be mightily pissed off to see 75% of their wealth redistributed. It's always somebody else's fault and problem. Hypocrites whatever their social backgrounds.

 

[Batboy]

He probably could stand to put some of his money where his mouth is. But I think it's a bit ridiculous to expect him or anyone to just give all their money away. If he's a tax dodger like Bonovox (or as much of a pious hypocrit cunt, whichi don't htink he is) then fair enough. But this is bordering on the politics of envy. That said, I wish I had that kind of money!

I never suggest giving all his money away. But how much money or wealth does one person really need? . Does anyone really need more than say 10 or even 5 million?

Brand if he is genuine should lead by example. He could well end up in Bono or Geldoff territory. Even just spouting off this stuff elevates his publicity and makes him more money, ironic....

 

[Awesome Wells]

I never suggest giving all his money away. But how much money or wealth does one person really need? . Does anyone really need more than say 10 or even 5 million?

Brand if he is genuine should lead by example. He could well end up in Bono or Geldoff territory. Even just spouting off this stuff elevates his publicity and makes him more money, ironic....

Assuming he gives no money to anyone, how would him donating be leading by example?

 

[rekil]

He threatened to sue Suzanne Moore over her ‘ghost written sub Chomskyian woo’ line. Rumours about Hari's level of involvement abound.

 

[poului]

He threatened to sue Suzanne Moore over her ‘ghost written sub Chomskyian woo’ line. Rumours about Hari's level of involvement abound.

Not a good look.

 

[killer b]

ghost written sub chomskian woo is a good line.

 

[killer b]

in fact, if I were Brand that'd be the title of my next book.

 

[rekil]

Not a good look.

I suspect he knows very little about it. His management might employ an agency that will trawl the press on behalf of their clients, looking for mentions; positive, negative and anything potentially libellous. A friend of mine used to do it, reading all the papers every day to see who's calling Bono a cunt and checking that products have been slipped into articles as agreed. She used to keep all the best local news clippings for herself, one of the most notable being - 'Half Naked Drunken Kiltimagh Man Claimed He Could Do As He Liked'

 

[killer b]

'Half Naked Drunken Kiltimagh Man Claimed He Could Do As He Liked'

actually, this would be better.

 

[brogdale]

• This article was amended on 31 October 2014. An earlier version said ‘A lot of what he says is ghostwritten sub-Chomskyian woo’. This has been corrected.

Albeit prefixed, I reckon Noam's got more reason to sue Moore.

 

[andysays]

in fact, if I were Brand that'd be the title of my next book.

Presumably Moore could then counter-sue Brand.

This shit is getting complicated. Maybe we need a new thread titled

Commentariat vs other commentariat: who's sueing who

 

[JTG]

I think you will find I am right...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9373000/9373158.stm

Also musicians are not just about rock and roll bands or young kids on council estates sampling in their bedrooms those that work in the music industry include opera, classical jazz, stage work and career musicians who have normally worked hard studying and having piano lessons etc. music as a career is largely a middle class aspiration.

if they are from working class backgrounds and are very successful they are not giving much of their ludicrous wealth away. They are not much different to Essex barrow boy city dealers done good who have made good earning millions. And that is the crux, Brand and others can bleat all they like about the inequalities out there, but they would be mightily pissed off to see 75% of their wealth redistributed. It's always somebody else's fault and problem. Hypocrites whatever their social backgrounds.

You said 'musicians', not 'successful chart acts'

 

[Idris2002]

'Half Naked Drunken Kiltimagh Man Claimed He Could Do As He Liked'

actually, this would be better.

Not bad.

 

[Batboy]

You said 'musicians', not 'successful chart acts'

Most musicians

Assuming he gives no money to anyone, how would him donating be leading by example?

Well if he wants to spout off about social injustice and greed give a huge chunk of his money back into the system and invite say the following to do likewise

Rod Stewart 172 million
Bono 600 million
Bob Geldoff 150 million
Roger Daltry 65 million
Paul McCartney 1.2 billion
Andrew Lloyd Webber 1.2 billion
Pete Townsend 95 million
Mick Jagger 360 million
Ronnie Wood 340 million
Bernie Taupin 450 million
Elton John 440 million
Sting 270 million
David Bowie 230 million
Tim Rice 230 million
Rings Starr 210 million
Ozzie Ozbourne 220 million
Eric Clapton 200 million
Sean Lennon 200 million
Jimmy Page 170 million
Roger Waters 157 million
Brian May 135 million
David Gilmour 127 million
George Michael 135 million


* £7140 million or 7.14 billion



that would be leading by example...
It won't happen of course....


* alleged wealth in dollars.

 

[Batboy]

You said 'musicians', not 'successful chart acts'

Yes most musicians I would say come from middle class backgrounds.

 

[DotCommunist]

nonsense. Schools, churches, family or friends of family all get w/c kids into music and there are tons of w/c musicians. You can find them playing in pubs, fairs etc. What you are probably confusing is the visible outlet for artistry with the entirety of it. Would you claim there are no working class poets? No working class painters?

or is art in your head a middle class pursuit, too good for the likes of us?

 

[Awesome Wells]

Most musicians


Well if he wants to spout off about social injustice and greed give a huge chunk of his money back into the system and invite say the following to do likewise

Rod Stewart 172 million
Bono 600 million
Bob Geldoff 150 million
Roger Daltry 65 million
Paul McCartney 1.2 billion
Andrew Lloyd Webber 1.2 billion
Pete Townsend 95 million
Mick Jagger 360 million
Ronnie Wood 340 million
Bernie Taupin 450 million
Elton John 440 million
Sting 270 million
David Bowie 230 million
Tim Rice 230 million
Rings Starr 210 million
Ozzie Ozbourne 220 million
Eric Clapton 200 million
Sean Lennon 200 million
Jimmy Page 170 million
Roger Waters 157 million
Brian May 135 million
David Gilmour 127 million
George Michael 135 million


* £7140 million or 7.14 billion



that would be leading by example...
It won't happen of course....


* alleged wealth in dollars.

He's not advocating rich people give their money to charity. Not that I've heard; perhaps his book says different. He's also not seeking to lead.

 

[rorymac]

How do folks know how much he is worth ? How do folks know he doesn't give away a lot ?
His message is simple .. there needs to be a revolution of thought to shift the paradigm and that. We weren't born this stupid godammit

 

[el-ahrairah]

what is a revolution of thought?

 

[elbows]

what is a revolution of thought?

One part new age bibble. One part Adam Curtis documentary 'there is a policeman inside your head and he must be destroyed'. One part transcendental meditation, the meditation technique that anyone can learn, but you better go to an accredited teacher because its a business with trademarks don't you know (TM in more ways than one).

 

[brogdale]

One part new age bibble. One part Adam Curtis documentary 'there is a policeman inside your head and he must be destroyed'. One part transcendental meditation, the meditation technique that anyone can learn, but you better go to an accredited teacher because its a business with trademarks don't you know (TM in more ways than one).

If Brand's book does call for a "revolution of thought" (?)...it sounds very much like the writer(s) are influenced by Emerson and other TMers. Don't the anonymous lot like all that Emerson individualism?

 

[8115]

Ugh. Revolution of thought. See! It's easy really.

 

[SovietArmy]

Ah is easy to call for revolution for those whom got plenty money are those celebrities living in reality.

 

[rorymac]

You don't need to pay to transcendentally meditate .. definitely not ! I got my mate doing it and he's fucking bats with a million miles an hour brain. Mind you when he came round he called me a cunt and isn't talking to me at the moment. NEVER pay for a mantra though .. fuck that !!

 

[brogdale]

Ugh. Revolution of thought. See! It's easy really.

..and only £9 in Asda.

 

[elbows]

You don't need to pay to transcendentally meditate .. definitely not ! I got my mate doing it and he's fucking bats with a million miles an hour brain. Mind you when he came round he called me a cunt and isn't talking to me at the moment. NEVER pay for a mantra though .. fuck that !!

Thats my entire point really though, by speaking of the official TM they are perpetuating a racket. Even if I thought revolution was going to start from within, why would I be praising TM instead of an open-source version that didn't involve people making a career out of looking up mantras on a crude chart?

 

[rorymac]

I agree

 

[rioted]

Even if I thought revolution was going to start from within...

Which part of the party machine is it going to start in? Will revolution create socialists or will socialists create a revolution? Bottom up or top down? From within or imposed by some revolutionary correct agency? Butchersapron perhaps?

 

[rorymac]

Butchers has to be up there .. needs to be in folks earpiece when they're addressing the nation ..

'Stop fucking waffling about fucking spirituality .. May 13 1953 .. Ohio!! just say that you fucking moron .. Jesus Christ aaarrrgggh'

 

[el-ahrairah]

can we assume then, if the revolution comes from within, that the reason there is still injustice and Bad Things is because there's something wrong with us, and not because of the system? cos i meditate sometimes, so it can't be my fault.